How We Do It

EVALUATIONS:

Since every dog is an individual with his/her own set of genetics, life experiences and issues, no one method, technique or tool will work for every dog in every situation. Our Novice Obedience and Dog Reactivity courses will work with nearly every dog in almost every situation, and we welcome all dogs (reactive or not) in both classes; some dogs may require some board and train work to get them on the right track. At Sparks K9, we have dealt with extremes in behavior from hyperactivity, shyness to severe fearfulness, mild to extreme aggression (towards humans/dogs or both), and everything in between. Our experience, combined with our knowledge of training and behavior, allows us to conduct a full evaluation of your dog's particular needs; we use this initial evaluation, along with the information you provided us with (in the contact form and in person) to formulate a plan that will best suit your individual dog, training goals, and lifestyle.

METHODS:

The training methods at Sparks K9 are reward-based; this is not to be confused with strict "positive only" type methods. Through training and experience, we know that puppies and most dogs respond very well to reward-based teaching methods; we also realize that in a "perfect world" full of Rainbows, Fairy Dust, endless time, patience and resources, pure "positive only" training would solve a lot of issues. Unfortunately, many dogs and their owners don't have the luxury of time and endless training to work on the annoying and/or dangerous behavioral issues that they are faced with. Our methods teach your dog to think; they are focused on teaching them to make good decisions in situations where they have made poor decisions in the past, and to be accountable for their actions. Dogs are opportunistic creatures that tend to make decisions based on a variety of mental and environmental stimuli in each situation they are presented with. Our methods are clearly presented to the dog, and we only move to the next step of instruction once they fully understand the previous task. We teach the owners/handlers to be the fair and consistent leaders their dogs need to survive and excel in our complicated human world. Our methods are NOT correction-based, although fair corrections are used in situations when they are warranted. We believe that "corrections" (consequences) are a part of life for every living being; in the absence of consequences, our world would be utter chaos. Our methods always teach the dog that there is a "Right Action", and how to take that action. Corrections are not introduced until the dog is very clear on what the right action is.

EQUIPMENT:

We always strive to use the right tool for the right job, especially when working with dogs. Our "toolbox" includes a variety of training aids, but most importantly, it contains the knowledge on when and how to properly use each piece of equipment in a manner that is fair, beneficial, and easy for the dog to understand. We use tools to assist the dog in the learning process; some dogs require a variety of tools at different stages, some only require one.

Slip leads: One of our favorite pieces of equipment is a simple slip-lead (combination leash and collar); this piece of equipment can work wonders when handlers are armed with the proper knowledge to use it effectively. We have specially designed slip leads manufactured for us that can be used as a slip lead or head halter (including a safety strap).

Slip Collars (aka- "choke chains" or "check chains"): Slip collars are safe and effective tools when used properly. These collars can be used in a similar fashion to the Mendota leads, but also have the advantages of superior strength and security. We prefer and recommend the German made Herm Sprenger brand. We use these collars in our novice obedience and reactivity classes. Slip collars allow for safe handling of aggressive dogs during the training process, but do not offer a lot of control. Slip collars come in 2" increments and should just fit over the widest portion of your dog's head, when sized correctly. Slip collars should never be left on unsupervised dogs.

Head Collars (Halti/Gentle Leader/Canny Collar): Head collars can be effective tools when used properly. Many dogs with excitement/reactivity/aggression issues can benefit from the calming effects of these tools. Out of the available head collars on the market, we prefer the "Halti" (come with safety strap) & "Dogs My Love" (do not come with safety strap) brands. Safety straps should always be used with head collars.

Martingale Collars: Martingale collars can be used as training and every-day collars. While not the most effective training collar, they can offer a good deal of security. Proper training techniques allow us to use Martingale collars in place of Chain Slip Collars in most cases.

Prong (aka-"pinch") Collars:Prong collars are largely misunderstood, but are very humane and effective when used properly. We can teach you how to properly fit and humanely use these collars (when needed/helpful), so that you can effectively communicate with your dog. We rarely use prong collars in our training.Prong collars are a training collar that should only be used for a short period of time before being faded out. Prong collars should never be left on unsupervised dogs, or when dogs are playing together.

Dominant Dog Collars:Dominant dog collars are nylon slip collars very similar to Mendota slip leads, but are just the collar without the leash portion. These collars can be useful, but are not adjustable, so the proper size has to be purchased for each dog. We use these collars on a limited basis, usually with dogs with severe human aggression issues.

Leashes: The leash or lead is an important tool that most owners are familiar with. Leashes come in many sizes, shapes, materials and configurations; we prefer the Mendota slip-leads (above) and 6' leather leashes. While a 4' leash is good for an already trained dog, we prefer 6' leather leads (required for classes). The leather is kinder on our human hands than most of the synthetic leashes, and just feels good to hold.

Harnesses: We use harnesses on a limited basis; most of our harness use is limited to dog sport activities where we want to encourage pulling.

Longe Lines:We use longe lines for a variety of purposes, especially early on in training when establishing a foundation for the dog. There are various lengths and weights used for different purposes and stages of training; the most common length we use are 15' lines (required for obedience and electronic collar classes).

Remote Training Collars: When we talk about misunderstood and abused tools, Remote Training Collars (E-Collars) are at the top of the list. We have found that E-Collars are very safe, effective and humane tools, when used in a fair and consistent manner. We do not "teach" the dog any behaviors with E-Collars (we teach behaviors with reward-based methods). We teach the desired behaviors until the dog is fluent, then carefully pair low level stimulation (not a shock) with known commands or prompts. Our approach does not cause the dog undue stress or fear, and the results are quick and lasting. The modern e-collars we use have numerous functions that help us clearly and effectively communicate with our dogs. Some of these functions are variable levels of vibration, vibration tapping/pulsing, variable tones (excellent for reward markers and Pavlovian conditioning); these collars also have highly adjustable stimulation levels (from 1-100), so the perfect level can be found and used for different dogs in different situations. Most dogs/clients find that they never need an e-collar after completing our Novice Obedience Class, but that these tools can be a wonderful compliment to the training.